CONCORD  Merrimack District Court Judge Clifford R. Kinghorn received a
scholarship from the State Justice Institute to attend the 67th Annual Conference of the
National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges in Portland, Oregon.

The conference, held in July, included sessions on a wide range of topics involving
family law, domestic violence, juvenile delinquency, and the role of the courts in
overseeing abuse and neglect cases involving children.

"One of the greatest benefits of this conference for me was attending courses with
colleagues from other states and comparing notes on our own experiences," Judge
Kinghorn said. "When problems arise in our juvenile justice system I now have a
network of experts to contact from around the country," he said.

The non-profit State Justice Institute, headquartered in Alexandria, Va., was
established by the federal government to award grants to improve the quality of justice in
state courts. Institute grants are also intended to promote better communication between
the state and federal courts to help resolve common problems.